John 3:1-17 Spirit Born, Spirit Living

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? “Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [NRSV]

1. Ticket to Ride

Nicodemus is having a rabbi-to-rabbi

Talking about faith is not having faith

Talking about eternal life is accessing spiritual birth

Birth comes as a process of conception, maturity, and birth

Spiritual Birth is God’s process of bringing Spirit to become alive in us.

2. Being Born of the Spirit in No Physical Accomplishment

Spiritual Birth is God’s Work, not our work

We can’t explain salvation into being, The Jesus’s work

We can’t scientifically prove salvation, That is Jesus’s work

We can’t hold the Spirit, but it can move us like the wind moves the trees.

3. Spiritual Awakening vs. Spiritual Birth

Jesus makes Spiritual birth possible before our awareness

Our waking up the Spirit within us is our awakening

Philosophers, poets, musicians, lawyers, teachers and scholars have lead people to spiritual awakening but they cannot create the Spirit of God within us.

4. Wind Blown, Spirit Lead

Jesus helps find Jesus in his being and not just in his head and in the words.

More than being people of God or followers of Jesus, you and I are people of the Spirit.

We are spiritual beings in a physical body.

Awakening comes to us when we realize there is more to us than the sum of our parts.

5. Jesus brings Us to Spiritual Life

The many physical and mental things that divide us in society are not of the Spirit.

Racism is a spiritual problem: The misuse of power over people based on the color physical parts

Sexism is a spiritual problem: The misuse of power over a gender.

Political polarization is a spiritual problem that is not solved by converting the enemy, it is solved by spiritual awakening to follow God.

Division in the church is a spiritual problem. The answer is not getting the colors right or the money right nor is it getting the theology right.

The answer is being in right relationship with the Spirit

6. God is doing whatever it takes to save us.

Hear the Good News: God is working to save us, not condemn us.

When you hear someone talk about church, God or the Bible as judgmental, know their perspective is out of right relationship.

God’s work in Jesus is to save us.

God’s work in Jesus requires that we see what separates are physical things.

Nicodemus is holding on to his own way of thinking, and Jesus is saying the gift of salvation is already available, ONE has to let go of SIN, let go of PRIDE, let go of being CORRECT, Let go of

SO WHAT does all that have to do with my life?

Know God is working to love, save and claim us.

Know Jesus makes new birth possible

Know that following Jesus is following the Spirit

Know that following your heart is not the target.

Following the Spirit will let go of selfishness, sin, brokenness, control